I've not seen Fight Club, either. tbh, whilst I enjoy a good bond-type movie, or a 'superhuman saves the world' comicbook adaption, I really dislike films that trivialise violence. Tarantino films rate right up there for pointless stupidity for that reason.
I don't think Tarantino should be lumped into this category.
Yes, many "action movies" trivialise violence. They are nothing more than 90 minutes of he "hero" holding 2 UZIs (at 90 degrees to vertical naturally, nobody holds pistols upright upright more) whilst spraying everyone with lead.
I don't think Tarantino movies fall into this category. His best films actually show the horror of violence, and much of that horror is actually implied rather than seen.
So you don't count cutting ears off as violence?
Of course that is violence! But IMHO Reservoir Dogs doesn't trivialise the violence. Before the ear scene it's made clear that the perpetrator is a twisted fcuk, something most of the other characters come to agree with.
The other major 'violent' aspect of Dogs is the undercover cop bleeding to death - very far from trivialised.
Going back to the ear .. this is no solid defence, but that moment is FAR less graphic than many scenes showing at Your Local Multiplex right now. The scene as a whole sticks in your mind, because it was so well put together - the actual cutting was very subtle (if you see what I mean!)
I actually despair of Tarantino. I think Dogs and Pulp fiction were superb films that also handled their violence well. Most of his stuff since does seem to have degenerated into cartoon violence, which there is no real excuse for. He seems to be wasting a huge talent ...
